It’s another rainy, dreary day here in #ATX…one of the wettest winters on record. This outdoor chick is tired of being a soggy mess wherever she wanders. Apparently Punxsutawney Phil, more familiarly known Mr. Groundhog, doesn’t agree. He is looking forward to six more weeks of winter. Looking on the bright side, my mother would say, “this too shall pass.”
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT SEASON?
Seasons come and seasons go, each one bringing about something new and different. Unfortunately however, we can often feel stuck. Our exteriors may reflect a sun-shiny day, but inwardly we may be caving. Lonely. Afraid. Anxious. Downtrodden. The Enemy would love for us to stay in this ineffective place…unable to make a difference…incapable of experiencing Christ.
“Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are.” Ephesians 5:11 (The Message)
Sometimes it is helpful to stop and take stock of what is going on in our lives. Slow down, and reflect a little. Start asking yourself some important questions, like “What is God doing in my life? He must be doing something.” Possibly in our pursuit of knowing about God, we have missed out on actually knowing God. Let me rephrase that a little…we may spend a lot of time attending church, memorizing Scripture, serving the church and filling our heard with knowledge. However, it is possible in all of our doing, we still miss out on a tangible relationship with God. After all, isn’t this the exact predicament of the Pharisees and Sadducees? The more they knew about God, in reality, the less they knew.
In our pursuit to know Jesus, our personal Lord and Savior, let’s expose the dark and hidden things. Things we take solace in other than God. Things that we cover and hide. Things which become identity attachments. Things that steal glory from God. It is about time we expose these things for the sham they really are.
“It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.” Ephesians 5:12 (The Message)
Maybe you find yourself in a place where you don’t even see your own personal dark places. How often in looking back at my waywardness am I awakened to my own stuck spots. Stubborness. Selfishness. Arrogance. Pride. Control. Huge obstacles standing in the way, hindering my ability to see God for who He really is. Sometimes we erect walls from within which keep us away from God. For example, if I believe in a shrunken God, I will pray without faith (if I even pray at all). If I believe in a distant, uncaring God, I will blame Him for my unfortunate circumstances and difficulties. If I believe in a powerless God, I will take matters into my own hands.
When human beings shrink God, they pray without faith, worship without awe, serve without joy, suffer without hope, and the result is a life of stagnation and fear, a loss of vision, an inability to persevere and see it through. —John Ortberg
If we want to see God for who He really is…we must not only spend time in His Word, but also begin to believe it!